NHTSA Complaint #10825040 — 2010 DODGE CHALLENGER

MY SON WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY ROAD IN THE CITY GOING STRAIT AHEAD AND NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT HAD COME ON, VERY QUICKLY HE THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, UNDER THE HOOD. FORTUNATELY HE WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY EXIT THE ROADWAY AND GET INTO A PARKING LOT. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND MORE SMOKE CAME OUT. HE CALLED ME (HIS FATHER) AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. I ASKED IF IT WAS ON FIRE AND CAUTIONED HIM TO GET BACK AND TO LET IT COOL DOWN. HE LET IT COOL DOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR. THE CAR HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER AT THIS TIME. DOOR LOCKS AND TRUNK LATCH WOULD NOT FUNCTION. AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND REALIZING THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD HE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RELEASE THE KEY, THEREFORE HE WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE CAR UNATTENDED AND EVENTUALLY TOWED FOR SERVICE. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS SITUATION GIVEN THAT IF HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXIT QUICKLY THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE OR COMPLETELY LOST POWER/CONTROL WHILE HE WAS STUCK IN THE ROADWAY. APPARENTLY THE CAR ALTERNATOR GOT HOT ENOUGH TO DESTROY IT AND THE BATTERY. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM AND SUBSEQUENT RECALL OF LATER YEAR MODELS OF THIS EXACT SAME ALTERNATOR WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ENGINE MODEL(NHTSA 14V-634) RECALL NUMBER P-60 ALTERNATOR. I HAVE CALLED DODGE/CHRYSLER AND FILED REPORTS/COMPLAINTS WITH THEM. I HAVE ATTACHED REPAIR INVOICE CONFIRMING THE ISSUE EXPLAINED. I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE SHOULD FALL UNDER THE SAME RECALL AS LATER YEAR MODELS DUE TO UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS POTENTIAL OF MECHANICAL FAILURE. THANK YOU *TR